Nama-stay what?

At the end of every Yoga session we place our hands at our heart chakra and bow, uttering the word 'Namaste', but do we really understand what it means and why we say it?

Well, to end all confusion, Namaste actually just means 'I bow to you' and the gesture and movement we make with our hands and our bodies is a physical demonstration of it's meaning.

For those of us who are more spiritual, the reason we bring our hands together, either at our heart chakra or at our third eye, is to increase the flow of Divine love. Closing our eyes and bowing our head allows us to surrender to the Divine in the heart.

At the end of a group class, Namaste brings everyone together in one place of energy and connection. Between a class and the teacher a union is made. However, one can also use Namaste when practising alone, to bring themselves closer to their heart, and as a quick meditation.